Powers opens Providence Cyclo-cross Festival with a victory

Image 1 of 38

Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) soloed in to the win of the men's race at the Providence Cyclo-Cross Festival, with Ben Berden (Raleigh-Clement) outsprinting Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) for second place just two seconds later. The three were part of a break group which dominated the race.

Together with Ryan Trebon and Raphael Gagne, the five-rider lead group got away and opened an un-closeable gap. Stephen Hyde (JAM Fund/NCC), Yannick Eckmann (California Giant/Specialized), and Lukas Winterberg (Muller Landscape/BH Bikes) gave chase, but were never able to make contact with those driving the pace at the head of the race.

The five leaders attacked one another ceaselessly, with Powers finally making it stick on the last lap. He built up a gap which not only was enough to assure him of the win, but also to shatter the rest of the group. That left Berden and Johnson to fight it out for second place while Gagne and Trebon each came in alone for fourth and fifth respectively.

"Race organizer Richard Fries put a lot of work into this," said Powers. "I'm happy to win so close to home!"

The win gave him the lead in the Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series presented by Verge.